Columbia Sportswear’s Omni-Freeze Zero — It Works!

Summer is fast approaching and I’m already pulling out my shorts and tees and other summer wear, putting away the sweats and long sleeves. I love working in my garage workshop, and I have my go-to stack of clothes that I like to wear when working in the Georgia heat. I have a fan in my garage, and it works well, but I will admit there are summer days that are absolutely brutal. Thankfully, I’ve discovered a new clothing technology (yes, an actual clothing technology) that aims to keep me cooler in the summer. Does it work? I put it to the test at the end of the last summer (although it wasn’t yet available to the general public) and now I get to share with you my experiences with the new Omni-Freeze Zero shirts from Columbia Sportswear.

First, the basics. The Omni-Freeze Zero shirt I tried out was the basic short sleeve crew. It has a slippery feel to it that I suspected would be comfortable to wear. And it was. The shirt needs to be form-fitting (but not tight) in order to work properly. Columbia initially provided me with an XL, but it was simply too loose on me to get any noticeable results. They then sent me a Large — and that’s when I noticed an immediate effect. (Also, the shirts provide UPF 50 sun protection and the material is antimicrobial!)

The shirt has these very small circles woven into the fabric. I’m going to include a photo here so you can see the circles, but they become more noticeable when you start perspiring. The blue rings swell, and the idea is that they swell when they encounter sweat and then lower in temperature and allow for more airflow. I have no idea about the science behind it… but it does work, I kid you not. My neighbor wondered if it was just in my head, and I did ponder that for a moment, but I could not deny that the shirt actually felt cooler on my skin and I felt cooler in general.

Now, I only tried out the shirt. They also offer hats, shoes, bandanas and shorts (called “Cool Jewels” – ha!) made of the material. I’m sold on the cooling effect, and I do plan on getting a couple more shirts. At the time I got the test shirts, they only had the white color (with gray sides) but now they’ve got some nice looking color combos, including red, green, yellow, blue, gray and black.

I’m very curious to know if anyone else has tried the technology and can verify the same cooling effect. When I first received the shirt, I was not 100% convinced that this strange looking material with these subtle rings embedded in the fabric would work… but now I’m a believer. I’ve already got a number of projects planned with my boys for this summer that will have us outside in the heat… and I can guarantee you these shirts are going to get some use. I’m all for high-tech clothing, especially if it can make working in the Georgia heat a little more tolerable.

Note: I’d like to thank Andy with Columbia for providing the two test shirts (XL and L).

James Floyd Kelly is a writer from Atlanta, GA. His latest two books are "Arduino Adventures: Escape from Gemini Station" and "Kodu for Kids." He and his wife have two young boys who are into everything, literally and figuratively.

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About James Floyd Kelly

James Floyd Kelly is a writer from Atlanta, GA. His latest two books are "Arduino Adventures: Escape from Gemini Station" and "Kodu for Kids." He and his wife have two young boys who are into everything, literally and figuratively.

This stuff is amazing and works incredibly. However, I’ve noticed that in some high-contact places with my sleeves and bandanna that the gel is gone from use. However, I really enjoyed using it while it lasted. I know they’re working on getting it to last longer. It does good in the wash though. I just want a full-body suit for my motorcycle rides.

Thanks for the review, GeekDad. Was considering picking some of these up after seeing them in store but wanted to read a review or 2 first which is how I found your review.

Would love to know a follow up perspective…do the shirts still perform after the multiple washings & use I assume you’ve subjected them to in the past 16 months or so?…And if they are still performing do you think they’ve continued to be as effective or has the effect diminished over time from use/washing?

I recently purchased the omni-freeze zero air-gill fishing shirt and I have to say, I didn’t notice a difference in my temperature. I am hot wearing a regular cotton shirt and I’m just as hot when wearing the omni-freeze shirt. The biggest advantage of the omni-freeze shirt are the vents. This allows air to circulate and I have noticed that my sweat dries a lot quicker compared to the cotton shirt. This isn’t a miracle product but the shirt does have very useful features such as the extendable collar, zipped pockets and mesh-covered vents stopping pesky critters having easy access to your flesh. As for the omni-freeze cooling system, I am less than impressed. Paying over US$100 for a shirt isn’t something I usually do and I won’t be doing again for a long time. I rate the omni-freeze shirt 4/10, it would be 6/10 if it wasn’t so expensive.